15 minutes of fame

Most of you have probably heard some version of Andy Warhol’s famous quote: “In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes.” I’m waiting for my moment of fame to come along, but in the meantime I spend a lot of time reading celebrity biographies.  I like to think of it as practice, so I’ll know what to do when I’m finally rich and famous. Actors and actresses like Clara Bow, Elizabeth Taylor, Ann Margret, and Orson Welles have each had some memorable celebrity moments, and luckily for us it’s all captured in their biographies.  Television actresses shouldn’t be overlooked either—the biographies and autobiographies of actresses like Joan Collins, Tori Spelling, or Rue McClanahan  are great weekend reads. Musicians—whether they’re punk, hair bands, hip hop, jazz, or classical—are another great source of celebrity drama. Writers, artists, and dancers also tend to have lives that make for some interesting reading. 

Warhol later revised his quote to “In 15 minutes everyone will be famous.”  Even though I’m still waiting, maybe you’re not.  If you’re rich and famous already, think about looking at some of our books on fashion and jewelry—you don’t want the paparazzi to catch you at less than your best. Make sure to also look at some of our books on money and investing, and also peruse our books on luxury automobiles and real estate. 

If you’ve already had your fifteen minutes and survived the perils of stardom, think about writing your memoirs.  Check out our books about writing or stop by the reference department and look at the most recent edition of Writer’s Market to find a publisher.  If you need to gather some inspiration from your fellow writers, make sure to drop in to our Squirrel Hill Branch on Sundays for their writer’s studio. 

There are way too many great celebrity bios, books on fame and fortune, and writing guides for me to list everything here.  Leave a comment and let us know your favorite trashy biography!  If you have a tip on how to deal with fame (like how do you find a closet big enough to hold all your free designer clothes?), let us know!

-Irene